


New Life

by teej_318



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Business Manager El, Business owners Joyce and Jim, F/M, Family owned business, Furniture Store, M/M, Mike Wheeler Loves Will Byers, Mike Wheeler Needs a Hug, Office Assistant Max, Office Assistant Mike, Office Assistant Robin, Office Manager Will, Protective Will Byers, Sad Mike Wheeler, Sales Manager Dustin, Salesman Lucas, Starting again, Will Byers Loves Mike Wheeler, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:55:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26315278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teej_318/pseuds/teej_318
Summary: Mike Wheeler uproots his whole life and moves to Hawkins, Indiana, taking a job as an office assistant for Byers Home Furnishings, a family-owned furniture store.
Relationships: Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers & Mike Wheeler, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 9
Kudos: 24





	1. New Career

Mike let out a deep breath of air, hoping that it would calm his nerves. When he opened his eyes, the big green building was still as daunting as it was when he first arrived. Mike cursed himself; wondering if he had, in fact, made the biggest mistake of his life. His decision had certainly been the riskiest of his entire life, but some part of him thought that maybe things would work out, in the end. His life was bound to better than it was before, so Mike decided to swallow his doubts and proceed with the plan.

He stepped out of the car into the chilly Hawkins, Indiana air. He had found the town by accident. A simple Google search of small towns in America had turned up Hawkins as one where it was easy to adjust to the community without feeling judged while doing so. Mike had picked it right away and set out on the new chapter of his life. 

Mike got his first proper look at the building in front of him. At the center of the building, in white block lettering, revealed the name of the building: Byers Home Furnishings. When Mike had looked for places to work in Hawkins, this family-owned furniture store had popped up with an opening for an office assistant. The starting pay was already more than Mike had made at his previous job, so he decided just to go for it. To his surprise, the store's office manager had called to arrange an interview barely an hour after Mike submitted his application.

Once the interview was set, Mike had piled as much as he could into his car and sped off to Hawkins. He barely had time to shower at the gym and get into a clean set of clothing before heading to the furniture store for his interview.

Mike strolled through the parking lot of the furniture store, wondering what in God's name he was getting himself into. He had basically uprooted his entire life on the off-chance that the owners of the store would see potential in him and hire him. He didn't even have a place to live yet. Maybe he hadn't thought everything through, but taking everything one step at a time seemed to help.

Mike opened the door to the furniture store and was immediately struck by the temperature difference. The store felt warm and cozy, and it certainly didn't look like a store right away. Rather it felt like a home with an excessive amount of furniture. There was a fireplace mantle on display about 20 feet away from the front door, though Mike guessed it was likely fake, given there were no flames going and the mantle didn't quite reach the ceiling.

"Welcome!" came a cheerful voice to Mike's right. Mike glanced over to the voice, having not seen the man sitting at the desk near the front store. "My name is Lucas and welcome to Byers Home Furnishings! Is there anything in particular you're looking for today?"

Mike's words were caught in his throat for a moment before he responded.

"I, um...actually, I'm here for an interview with your office manager," Mike said. "I think his name is Will?"

"Oh, yes, Will Byers," Lucas said with a nod. "His parents are the owners of the store and his sister runs the day-to-day operations of the store while Will manages the office staff. I'd be happy to take you back there if you'd like."

Though Mike was tempted to be led through to the office, his curiosity overwhelmed that urge.

"Actually, I think I'm going to have a look around and get familiar with the store, if that's all right. I've got a few minutes before my interview."

Lucas nodded.

"Of course. There is definitely plenty for you to see on our showroom. Feel free to browse at your leisure. The office is toward the back of the store. My girlfriend, Max, will probably greet you since she sits at one of the window seats and she's the only other one on duty today."

Mike gave Lucas a smile.

"Thanks for the warm welcome," he said. "I hope we get to work together."

"I'm definitely rooting for you...." Lucas said, hesitating.

"Mike. Mike Wheeler," Mike said, extending his hand for Lucas to shake.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mike. Good luck in your interview!"

"Thank you," Mike said before he turned and started to walk around the showroom floor.

He had been slightly taken aback by Lucas' warmth. He wasn't used to being greeted so nicely when he came to work, though he had to remind himself he didn't have the job yet. But considering the store was family owned, Mike had sensed it would have a family-like atmosphere to it. 

Mike spent the next ten minutes wandering the showroom, figuring out where all of the merchandise was kept. The showroom was well-stocked with sofas, loveseats, recliners, chairs, sectionals, ottomans, bedroom sets and dining room sets. The merchandise appeared to be mid to high range, and Mike made a mental note to ask about getting furniture as an employee of the store. 

When Mike noticed he had just about five minutes before his interview, he made his way to the back of the store. He briefly nodded at a man sitting at an office desk in the middle of the showroom, and the man waved courteously at him; Mike noticed a name-tag that said "Dustin" on it. Mike took note of Dustin's name and filed it away before turning and seeing the back office.

A woman with fiery red hair was seated at the open window. She had just hung up the phone and made a note on her notepad when Mike approached her.

"Hi there, are you Max?" Mike asked shyly.

"Sure am," Max replied, giving Mike a smile. "How can I help you?"

"I have an interview with Will Byers in a few minutes," Mike said.

"Oh yes! The former journalist come to work for a furniture store!"

Max turned around in her chair and rolled it toward a smaller office within the main office. She stuck her head in and spoke to the occupant before she wheeled back to her desk.

"Will says to come right in," Max said. "You can come in on that door on your right, just pass the kitchen."

Mike followed Max's directions and found himself inside the office. He walked pass Max's desk and into the smaller office, where a young man about his age was sitting at a desk. Mike quickly thanked Max before turning to the man at the desk.

"Hi there, Mike, I'm Will Byers," said the man, standing up and shaking Mike's hand. 

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Byers," Mike said.

"Oh please, call me Will!" Will insisted with a smile. "The only Mr. Byers is my dear birth father and I'd rather not be called something that he's called."

Mike's eyes widened and shame pooled into his stomach before Will smiled at him again.

"Hey, it's okay, Mike, that was just a joke. You can relax a little."

"Sorry," Mike said hurriedly.

"That's all right," Will said kindly, gesturing to one of the chairs up against the wall in his office. Mike sat down in one of them. "No need to be nervous, Mike. We like to keep things pretty casual around here."

"So, your parents own the store?"

Will nodded.

"Originally my grandparents, my Mom's parents that is, owned a store in Indianapolis. When Mom was grown up, she moved out here and started this business with Jim, my stepdad, and the two have been in business ever since. My grandparents eventually sold their store and now their retired. My parents are semi-retired in that they let my sister El run the day-to-day operations while I run the office, but they are still involved in all the main decisions about the store."

Mike nodded as he took in the history of the store. It sounded to him like it was a tight-knit operation, which he was hoping for following his previous career path.

"So, I saw on your resume that you were a reporter until about a month ago, is that right?" Will asked, glancing down at a pile of paperwork on his desk that Mike recognized as his application.

"That's right," Mike said. "I worked for a community newspaper for a few years and my college newspaper all through college. And I was a part-time producer at a local TV station."

"Wow, that all sounds like a lot for someone your age," Will remarked.

Mike nodded.

"Yeah, I always said I was a journalist from the time I was 14. I was a journalist for just about ten years there."

"Why the career change, if you don't mind my asking?"

Mike hesitated, knowing he couldn't tell Will the whole truth about why he was making a major life change at such a young age. Instead, he decided just to focus on the career aspect of it; no need for him to go into detail about his personal life.

"I had been starting to get a little burnt out," Mike admitted. "And really that has to do with me working for both my college newspaper and the TV station while also attending classes full time in college."

"Sounds like you were a busy man," Will said with a grin.

"You could definitely say that," Mike said with a chuckle. "But even after I graduated college last May, I found myself realizing that reporting the news just wasn't bringing me joy any more. There is so much nastiness in the world and you have to report on all of it. Not to mention the profession being under attack on the daily by the President and his followers, and by people who just plain don't trust what reporters do anymore. There was just a lot of negativity in that career.

"So, when my contract at the TV station was up in December, I decided it was time to try doing something else. I found this company while I was searching for a small town to start over in, and the job sounded perfect to me."

Will smiled.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that, Mike. You're definitely the most qualified person I've had apply for the job. You've got communications skills, phone skills, you're a heck of a typist and you can clearly multi-task if you can work two news jobs while also attending a full class load and maintaining a 3.5 GPA."

Mike blushed slightly at Will's compliments of him. He hadn't heard someone talk positively about him in some time and it was odd to hear praise from someone who was mostly a stranger.

"So, a lot of this job is entering sales into the computer that are handed to you on paper by the sales people," Will explained. "You'll take payments for the furniture sold at the store and run credit card payments and take cash and receipts. You'll also fill out third party financing applications for customers who fill out the app on paper. And you'll be responsible for answering the phone and directing calls. There will be some other things along the way, but those are the basics you'll get started with."

Mike froze when Will stopped speaking. He wasn't sure if he had heard Will correctly. He knew about the job duties from his application, but Will had said he would get started with the basics.

"Wait, so are you hiring me?" Mike asked breathlessly.

Will grinned.

"Of course I'm hiring you, Mike! I need someone with your skill sets on the team, so if you want to join us, we'll be happy to have you!"

Mike couldn't believe his luck. He had applied for the job not even expecting to hear back and here he was about to be hired just based on one 10-minute conversation where he didn't even say much.

"Wow...okay, yeah, of course I'll join you guys; I'd be honored!"

Will smiled fully and Mike couldn't help but be taken aback at seeing Will's full smile. The thought of, "Oh, he's cute" briefly ran through his mind before Mike shut it out quickly. No need for him to get all up in his feelings this early in the game; there would be plenty of time for that later, but right now his priority was starting his new life.

"Do you have a few more minutes, Mike? I'd like to introduce you to El and then take you upstairs to meet my parents."

"Oh yeah, I've got some time," said Mike. "My hotel room doesn't have check in for a few more hours."

"Which hotel are you staying at?" Will asked quickly. Mike gave it to him. "And what's your confirmation number? I'll have Mom and Dad cover your hotel room for you."

"Oh, Will, I can't ask to you to do that..." Mike said but Will cut him off.

"It's no trouble, Mike," Will said. "We can put you up in the hotel for as long as you need while you look for an apartment. We're not gonna make you pay for a hotel when you're just moving here. Mom and Dad will take care of it for you."

Mike was unsure what to do with this gesture. He was so used to just relying on himself for things and not ever asking anyone to do anything for him.

"Are you sure, Will? It could take me a few days to find a place to live."

"Yeah, of course," Will said. "Mom and Dad have paid for plenty of hotel rooms for new employees over the years. It's something that my grandparents did too when they hired new people from out-of-the-area."

"Thank you," Mike said, hoping his tone emphasized just how grateful he was for the Byers family's generosity, despite barely knowing him.

"Come on," Will said, standing up from his desk and gesturing for Mike to follow him. "I'll go introduce you to El and then you can meet Mom and Dad upstairs, might even say hi to Jonathan if he's not loading up a customer."

Mike followed Will back through the main office and through a small hallway that led to yet another office. This one was bigger than Will's and had a large screen on one wall that Mike realized showed a live feed of all the surveillance cameras in the store.

"Once upon a time, Dad was a police officer," Will said. "So he tends to go a little overboard with security around here."

"Hey, a little extra security never hurt anyone around here, little brother," said a woman sitting at the computer below the large surveillance camera screen.

Mike looked over at the woman who looked similar to Will, though they were some differences, mainly in the color and shape of her eyes.

"El, this is Mike Wheeler," Will said, gesturing to Mike. "He's the journalist I told you about."

"Oh yes, I remember seeing your application," El replied, standing up and walking toward Mike, holding out her hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Mike. I'm El Byers."

"Pleasure," Mike said, giving El a smile. "I'm excited to get to work with you and your family."

El smiled warmly.

"Well, if you like my little brother here, I guess that means you'll get along with the rest of us."

"Oh ha-ha," Will said sarcastically. "And I don't know why you insist on referring to me as your 'little' brother; I'm only five months younger than you!"

"Still younger than me!" El retorted with a mischievous look on her face. 

"Yeah, yeah," Will said, rolling his eyes slightly. "Anyway, I'm gonna bring Mike upstairs and introduce him to Mom and Dad."

"It was lovely to meet you, Mike. I'm excited to work with you."

"Yeah, me too, and it was great to meet you, too," Mike said before following Will through the office and into a storage closet that led to a backdoor. 

Will pushed open the back door and Mike found himself in the store's warehouse. He could see wrapped mattresses and foundations on the racks and various pieces of furniture still in boxes along the racks. Mike followed Will through the warehouse. 

"Did you say El is only five months older than you?" Mike asked as he followed Will. "Does that make you guys...?"

"Technically we are step-siblings," Will said with a nod. "My step Dad Jim is El's father with his first wife, while me and my brother Jonathan are Mom's sons from her first marriage to my dear deadbeat Dad. Bastard."

Mike nodded, unsure of how to respond to the comment on Will's biological father. He was spared having to say anything by Will gesturing to a man who was helping load furniture into a customer's truck that was pulled up to the outside of the side of the building.

"Ah, there's Jonathan!" Will said, pointing toward his older brother. "I'll have to introduce you when we come back downstairs. Jonathan is the warehouse manager, and Steve, the guy loading up the truck with him, has been with us for quite a few years, ever since graduating high school. He's a funny one."

Will then turned and Mike found himself in front of an elevator. Will pressed the button to call the elevator and the doors immediately opened. Will led Mike inside and pressed the button for the second floor. In seconds, the elevator stopped and the door opened again.

Will stepped out of the elevator and Mike followed him. They were in a hallway that had what appeared to be doors leading to offices. At the end of the hallway, Mike thought he saw a living room, but he thought his eyes must have been playing tricks on him.

"Hello?" Will called in a loud voice. "Anyone up here?"

"Right in here, son," came a gruff-sounding voice from one of the offices. 

"Come on out, Dad," Will said, leading Mike down the hallway. "I'd like you to meet our new office guy. Mom up here too?"

"She's just finishing getting dressed before we head out for lunch," replied the gruff voice.

Will led Mike to the end of the hallway, passing by both a dining room and a full-fledged kitchen that looked like it belonged in an upscale home. Mike was surprised to see the living room he had seen was in fact an actual living room, with several card tables set up and a sectional spread in front of a TV, along with several recliners surrounding the space around the room.

"Mom and Dad stay here during the week and usually go home to Indianapolis for the weekends," Will explained. "So they basically live up here five days a week."

Mike nodded as the man with the gruff voice appeared in the living room. Mike heard a door nearby shut and a woman soon joined them in the living room.

"Mom, Dad, I'd like you guys to meet Mike Wheeler," Will said, gesturing to Mike, who was blushing suddenly. "He's gonna be starting on as our new office assistant."

Mike shook hands with the man and woman, exchanging brief pleasantries.

"I'm Joyce Byers," said Will's mom. "It's wonderful to meet you, Mike. We're happy to have you working with us."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Mike.

"Jim Hopper, son," said Will's stepdad, shaking his hand roughly. Mike's first impression of Will's stepdad was this was a man who was not to be crossed. 

"It's wonderful to meet you both, and thank you so much for taking me on like this; I wasn't exactly sure if I had any chance at being hired."

"Well, Will seemed enthusiastic about hiring someone close to his age," Joyce said with a smile. Will blushed at her comment. "And he was excited that someone who had so much communications experience was interested in the job."

"I think you'll do just fine, young man," added Jim with a nod. "Don't disappoint us, you hear?"

Mike was taken aback, but felt relief when he saw Joyce lightly slap Jim on the arm.

"Jim, don't you go scaring the poor boy before he's even had a chance to work downstairs," Joyce chastised. 

"Eh, I was just trying to get a rise out of you, kid," Jim said with a shrug and a wink at Mike. Mike grinned back at him.

"Oh!" Mike exclaimed. "And I wanted to say thank you in advance for paying for my hotel room. I'm gonna hurry as quick as I can to find a place to live so it doesn't cost you too much."

"Oh no, dear, don't worry about that at all," said Joyce, waving off Mike's protesting in the same way that Will had. "You just worry about finding a place and don't worry about how much time it takes."

"And if you need any help finding a place, let us know," Jim interjected. "We know some people out here who rent out to kids your age and we'll be happy to put in a good word for you."

Mike couldn't believe his luck. Finding a job where the employers cared so much about their employees had to be a stroke of luck. Mike wasn't used to such kindness and generosity; he was almost overwhelmed by it. 

Mike nodded once his mind cleared.

"Thank you very much," he said. "I'll make sure to keep that in mind." He turned to Will. "So, Will: What's next?" 


	2. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike adjusts to his new life in Hawkins, quickly learning the ropes of his job and getting to know all of his co-workers. As Valentine's Day approaches, he and the others discuss their plans for the holiday.

Mike’s new career was easy to pick up. He quickly learned that much of his job was entering into the computer the handwritten sales the sales people wrote on paper and making sure all of the numbers on pricing, tax and delivery all added up. He also ran credit card payments and took cash and checks as well for people paying for merchandise and making payments on items they hadn’t yet picked up. 

The biggest learning curve for Mike was learning how to do third party financing. The credit checker was the easiest of the three offered by Byers Home Furnishings, while the other two had an easy one and another that was difficult. But Mike had soon mastered everything regarding financing and soon no longer needed Will to stand over his shoulder watching him process the financing. 

Luckily for Mike, the customers for the most part were easy to work with. While there was the occasional irate customer mad about their furniture not yet arriving, Mike usually gave those calls to Dustin, who Mike learned had a knack for calming customers down when they were in a mood.

“Sometimes, a little ass kissing goes a long way,” Dustin had told him when Mike asked how he was able to calm the customers down. 

Mike had also lucked out on finding a place to live. Within three days of searching, he had found a small apartment complex that consisted of several duplexes that were built out in the country. They were privately owned by a husband and wife, who both did all of the yard work and maintenance for the apartments, the husband being a retired mechanic named Jim. Mike had applied for an apartment, and he and Jim had met briefly before Jim offered Mike the apartment, and Mike was able to move all of his possessions, however little of them there were, into the home quickly and get checked out of the hotel. The best part of his new home was it was located just about 12 minutes from Mike’s work and about five minutes from the nearest grocery store, so Mike wouldn’t have to burn a lot of gas traveling around Hawkins. 

By mid-February, Mike had gotten into a smooth routine of his new life. His work week occurred Fridays through Tuesdays, so Mike had his days off in the middle of the week, which meant that any errands he had to run could be done with most stores weren’t as busy as they were on weekends. 

One morning, Mike took a phone call that almost made him burst into laughter.

“Thank you for calling Byers Home Furnishings, how can I help you?” Mike said, his standard greeting for answering the phone.

“Hi there, do you guys have any specials going on for Valentine’s Day?”

Mike blinked as he glanced over at Will, who had stepped out of his office to stretch his legs. Will frowned at Mike, who shrugged.

“Any Valentine’s Day specials?” Mike clarified, trying to keep the laugh out of his tone.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m wanting to know if your store has any deals for Valentine’s Day.”

“Let me get you to a member of the sales team and they’ll be able to tell you more.”

Mike pressed the hold button and burst into laughter. He took a moment to compose himself before he pressed the page button and paged an available member of the sales team to take the call.

Once he hung up the phone, Mike turned to Will, still laughing.

“I’m sorry, but what furniture store has a special for  _ Valentine’s Day _ ?” Mike asked.

Will chuckled.

“You’d be surprised,” Will answered. “Sometimes the bigger chains go all out for literally every holiday ever. It’s like they need an excuse to have a special to sell furniture. Luckily we don’t have that problem since our prices are pretty reasonable, comparatively.”

“I hope Lucas took that call,” Mike said, snickering. “I’d love to see the look on his face when they ask him if we have a Valentine’s Day sale.”

“You’re telling me,” said Max, looking up from her own computer, having just finished a sale for another one of the sales people. “It’s bad enough watching him fumble over his words while he asks me where we should go for dinner for V-Day. He always gets so damn nervous.”

“Where’s he taking you?” asked Robyn, the other office assistant who rounded out the team of four in the office. 

“Oh, he decided this year he’s gonna try making a home-cooked meal,” Max said, grimacing slightly. “So if you get a frantic phone call with me during your date with Bianca, you’ll know why.”

Robyn and Mike both laughed.

“And where are you and Queen B going for Valentine’s Day, Robyn?” asked Will. 

“Not sure yet,” Robyn said. “We sometimes do a movie date on Valentine’s Day, so we might be doing that. We kinda always wait til the last minute and end up watching a shitty movie and making fun of it the whole time. It’s actually a lot of fun.”

The rest of the office staff chuckled just as Dustin walked into the office.

“Hey, what are we gossiping about?” he asked.

“Oh we’re talking Valentine’s Day plans,” said Max. “You’d better be taking Suzie somewhere special!”

“That’s between Suzie and me,” Dustin said, miming zipping his lips and tossing away the key. “Suffice to say, she’ll definitely have a good time.”

“Pics or it didn’t happen!” Robyn exclaimed.

“Yeah, yeah,” said Dustin. “So, Mike, do you have any plans for Valentine’s Day?”

Mike swallowed a lump in his throat. He was hoping to avoid discussing his Valentine’s Day plans, or lack thereof. Everyone else seemed like they were preparing for a fun night, but he had no plans of his own.

“Come on Dustin, don’t be mean,” said Will in a chastising tone. “Mike is new in town. You can’t expect him to already have a date for Valentine’s Day!”

“Oh please, a handsome young thing like Mike? He should have no problem!”

“Uhhhh...I’m not really the dating type,” Mike said quietly.

Dustin looked embarrassed. He stammered out an apology.

“No, it’s all right, Dustin,” Mike assured him. “I don’t really talk about it much, so it’s not like you’d know.”

“You sure you don’t wanna go out and maybe meet some friends?” Will asked Mike in a gentle voice. 

Mike found Will’s comment endearing. He wasn’t sure what to make of his new manager, but it was clear that Will certainly cared about Mike; he was always pushing for Mike to go out and make new friends, despite Mike repeatedly telling Will that he was content just making friends at work.

“I don’t know, maybe,” Mike said. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to get to know people outside of you guys.”

“That’s the spirit!” Robyn said. “I’m sure you’ll find plenty of people out there who wanna be friends, or maybe even more,” she added with a wink. “But Hawkins is full of all sorts of people. I’m sure you’ll find ‘your people.’”

Part of Mike wanted to say he had already found “his people.” But he held back out of partial embarrassment; how could he explain that his co-workers, whom he had known for just about six weeks, felt like a family to him? It was difficult for him to explain, but already he felt like he knew his co-workers, and indeed his superiors, especially Will, all of his life. Everyone was easy to get along with, and they had all been some welcoming and friendly to him as he adjusted to the job. Mike wasn’t used to being treated so well at work, but it was certainly a nice change of pace. 

“And what are your plans, Will?” Mike asked, desperate for a change in subject.

Will blushed slightly and Mike couldn’t help but think,  _ cute _ . 

“I’ve actually got a date for once,” Will said shyly. 

“ _ What? _ ” asked Robyn as if she couldn’t believe what Will had revealed. 

“Details, now!” Max demanded, causing Will to laugh.

“There’s not much to say,” Will said, blushing harder. “We met on a dating website and we seemed to hit it off.”

“Please tell me it wasn’t Grindr,” Robyn said dryly. 

Mike had picked that moment to take a drink from his water bottle and nearly choked on his drink. He was able to cover it up by looking like he had just sneezed.

“Oh god no,” Will said. “That shit is horrifying. It was a website where you had to take a picture of yourself with a webcam before it would allow you to finish creating the account; so at least I know what he looks like.”

Mike felt his heart racing. While he had never knew for sure Will was gay, he had his suspicions from the moment they met. Not that it mattered that Will was gay; it’s not like Mike had any chance with him and he wasn’t about to jeopardize his job just because of a little office crush. But hearing confirmation that Will was gay seemed to light a fire in Mike, though he couldn’t explain why. 

“I hope you have a good time,” Mike said, desperate to say something.

Will smiled softly at Mike and Mike had to turn away to hide the blush he was sure was appearing on his face. 

* * *

Mike thanked the server who had brought him his sangria. He was at the local movie theatre, which he was surprised to see wasn’t all that busy even though it was Valentine’s Day. Mike had seen online that the movie theatre would be playing  _ Raiders of the Lost Ark _ as part of its flashback movie program, so Mike had booked a ticket to at least say that he did go out on Valentine’s Day, even if it was just with himself.

He spent the next little while nursing the drink while waiting on his food to arrive. He saw mostly couples walking in and out of the building, most of them holding hands and laughing with each other as they walked. Mike felt a slight twinge in his chest every time he saw a couple, but he knew not to let it get him down; there was still plenty of time for him to meet someone, if that’s even what he wanted. Mike couldn’t be sure. Uprooting his life had seemed so appealing at the time, that Mike didn’t think about having to get to know a new group of friends. Although he only had a handful of friends back in his hometown, he had known them all for years and he hadn’t considered what it would mean by uprooting his life and largely losing contact with all of his friends.

Maybe that’s why Mike had latched on to all of his co-workers so quickly. He was looking for some sort of relationship with other people and they had all been so welcoming to him that it felt natural for him to already feel close to everyone. 

“Mike?” came a familiar voice.

Mike glanced up and was surprised to see Will standing next to his table, holding a drink in his hands.

“Hey, Will,” Mike said, snapping himself out of his thoughts and grinning up at his manager.

“Are you here on a date?” Will asked.

“Uh...no,” Mike said, feeling a little embarrassed. “I’m just here by myself waiting on my dinner to arrive. I’m gonna go see  _ Raiders of the Lost Ark _ at 8.”

“Oooh, that’s a classic!” Will said as he sat down at Mike’s table, making himself right at home.

“How’s your date going?” Mike asked, hoping he sounded nonchalant. 

Will’s expression darkened and Mike immediately felt guilty.

“He stood me up,” Will said shortly.

“Oh,” Mike said. “Oh Will, I’m so sorry.”

Will shrugged.

“Seriously, you don’t deserve that, Will. I’m really sorry that happened to you.”

“Thanks, Mike,” Will said, grinning slightly. “I just figured I’d drown my sorrows here at the theatre; I usually come here on my days off if anything good is playing.”

Mike hesitated, unsure if he truly wanted to ask the question that was burning at the tip of his tongue. He decided just to go for it.

“Would you wanna join me and see the movie with me?” he asked shyly. 

Will blinked.

“I mean, if you’re not going on a date tonight, there’s no reason you can’t still have a good time,” Mike said hurriedly. “You said the movie is a classic and since I’m already we, maybe we could go see it together.”

Will smiled. Mike could feel his face heating up and he hoped Will didn’t notice. 

“I’d like that, Mike,” he said. “Let me just pull it up on my phone and I’ll get a ticket.”

Mike waited patiently while Will bought a ticket for the movie on his phone. The app wouldn’t let Will choose the seat next to Mike’s, so he bought a space two seats down from Mike, but told Mike that he would just sit next to Mike. 

Just then, the waiter returned and gave Mike his tray of food. Mike had ordered a burger and fries and the amount of food on the tray looked like it could feed Mike and Will and about three other people.

“You wanna split the burger?” Mike asked. “I don’t think I can eat it all on my own.”

“Yeah sure,” Will said, taking the half of the burger Mike had offered him. “I’ll steal some fries, too.”

They ate together in a comfortable silence. Mike couldn’t help but think how this suspiciously felt like a date, but he quickly pushed that thought away. He and Will were just co-workers having dinner together and going to see a movie together. Never mind how intimate it was for him to share his food with someone who was virtually a stranger just a month ago. 

When they had both finished eating, Mike signaled the waiter over to pay the bill before Will could pull out his wallet and offer to pay half.

“You’re my boss, Will, I’m not gonna make you pay for my meal,” Mike said when the waiter had walked away with Mike’s credit card.

“You should have at least let me pay half!” Will insisted. 

“It’s no problem, Will. You and your family have already done so much for me and I’m so grateful for that. You gotta at least let me do this for you. I really should have paid for your ticket, too.”

Will blushed slightly.

“You’re a good guy, Mike. I’m glad you came to work with us. And I’m really grateful to you for giving up your night just for me.”

“Will, you got stood up,” Mike said hurriedly. “I wasn’t just gonna let you get drunk by yourself, especially on Valentine’s Day. I think your parents would kill me.”

Will chuckled.

“Yeah, they probably would,” he said, nodding. “Well, anyway, thanks for hanging out with me tonight. You’re a good friend, Mike.”

Will reached across the table and took Mike’s hand in his own, giving it a pat before retreating his hand and taking a drink from his sangria. Mike thought he could feel his hand burning from where Will had touched it. 

“No problem, Will. You’re a good friend too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed chapter two!
> 
> If it isn't clear already, Mike and Will have obvious feelings for one another, but they don't act on them until much later in the story. The slowburn is fun to write and I'm excited to keep writing more instances of them being soft but not pushing themselves toward a relationship, at least yet.
> 
> Stay tuned for more soon!


	3. Birthdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Mike celebrate their birthdays.

Mike hung up the phone after paging an available sales person. He turned to Robin, who was writing something down on a card in front of her.

"Well that one was fun," Mike said, sounding slightly amused.

"What was it?" Robin asked, not looking up from the card. 

"She's looking for a futon for her son's college dorm," Mike said. "I didn't have the heart to tell her we don't carry them and that her son would probably appreciate it more if she got him one of the cheaper beds."

"Yeah, well maybe Lucas can sweet talk her if he got the call," said Max, who had been listening in.

"Yeah, maybe," Mike said. "So, who's the birthday card for, Robin?"

Robin glanced in Will's office and saw Will was busy working on paying a bill and wasn't listening in on their conversation.

"It's for Will's birthday," Robin whispered. "We always have a little party for people when it's their birthday." 

"It's his birthday?!" Mike exclaimed. "How did I not know?"

"It's not like we broadcast it everywhere," said Max. "Besides, Will keeps a calendar in his office of everyone's birthdays except for his. We basically had to bribe El to tell us when his birthday is so we could celebrate him."

"Will not like his birthday or something?"

"He just doesn't like being the center of attention," said Robin.

"Guess we have that in common," said Mike.

"When is your birthday, Mike?" asked Robin, who finished signing the card and handed it to Mike.

"Just about two weeks," said Mike. "But I won't be here for it, since my birthday is on a Wednesday."

"Oh, that's too bad, Mike. I guess we won't have a big ole celebration for you this year," said Max. "We usually only do it if you're here for your birthday."

"That's all right," said Mike, sitting down to sign the card. "I was planning on having a low-key birthday this year anyway. New year in a new town and I don't know many people outside you guys. So I figured I'd just hang out at home and treat myself to some homemade food and a cake I ordered online."

Max and Robin looked at each other awkwardly as Mike turned his attention to the card. When Mike was finished, he looked up at the girls and handed the card back to Max and frowned when he saw their faces.

"What's up?" Mike asked.

"Mike, are you sure you just want to stay at home all day on your birthday?" asked Robin.

"I mean, I don't like going all out for my birthday anyway," said Mike.

"Yeah, but we could get you a cake and get you a card," said Max.

Mike shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, guys. I'm used to low-key birthdays and you guys don't have to get me anything. I'll be happy just hanging out at home."

"All right, Mike, if you say so," said Max, sounding unsure. 

"It's okay, Max," Mike said. "I'm cool just hanging out at home on my birthday. It's just another day to me."

Mike returned his attention to his desk. Before he decided to check if he needed to register any customer in the extended warranty program, Mike opened up a word document and started typing up a more personal letter to Will for his birthday. 

* * *

Mike was sent into Will's office to grab Will for his birthday celebration. The rest of the staff, including Will's parents, had gathered in the kitchen area just outside the office, where there was a small kitchen where they could prepare meals and where customers would get coffee or water while waiting for their sale to finish. The staff had set out a large cake for Will, along with the card everyone had signed and some small gift bags from his family. 

Mike knocked on Will's door and Will looked up at him, groaning slightly.

"Let me guess, it must be birthday time," he said in a resigned tone. 

"Yes it is, birthday boy," Mike said. "Now, come on, we got some surprises out there for you."

"Come on, Mike, it's not like my family doesn't own the business. I know how birthdays work around here. I just wish we didn't have to make a big deal out of mine."

"Oh quit your whining," Mike said in an amused tone. "Let's go have some free cake and juice and then we can go back to work, since I know you're dying to."

"You know me so well, Mike," Will said, grinning and standing up from his desk. He followed Mike out of the main office and into the kitchen, where the rest of the staff was waiting. 

"There he is!" El exclaimed when she saw Will. She was holding up her phone and seemed to be recording what was happening. 

"Oh lord, El, do you have to record it?" Will groaned. 

"Yes I have to record it and yes I'm posting it on Facebook," El said excitedly. 

"Lovely," Will said.

"Oh come on, Will, just be a sport," said Joyce.

"All right, all right," Will said. "Carry on, everyone."

Will blushed slightly and grinned at everyone as they sang the birthday song to him. When they were finished, Will bent down over his cake and blew out the candles in one breath. Everyone cheered afterward and Will smiled at everyone, holding up his hands to quiet them all down.

"Thank you, everyone, for this lovely cake and for the card," Will said. "And thanks, Mom, Dad, Jonathan and El for the gifts. I'll open them a little later."

"All right, everyone, I'll get started on this cake," Joyce said. "I'll be fast so everyone can get back on the floor."

Joyce cut up slices of cake for everyone, handing slices to the sales people first so they could return to their posts on the sales floor. Jonathan took his slice next and walked over to Will, giving him a one-armed hug.

"Happy Birthday, little brother," he said. "We'll have a drink tonight after work."

"Sure thing, Jonathan," Will said with a grin before Jonathan walked off back to the warehouse. 

The office staff were served last. Once they all had their slices of cake, they returned to their desks in the office. Will got back into his office and sat down at his desk. 

Mike set down his slice of cake on his desk before he picked up an envelope and walked into Will's office.

"Hey, got a minute?" Mike asked.

"Yeah of course, Mike," Will said, wiping away the cake from his face with a napkin. "What's up?"

Mike blushed.

"I, uh..." he said, stammering slightly. "I just wanted to give you this...for your birthday."

"Mike, you didn't have to get me anything," Will said.

"It's nothing big or anything, Will," Mike said, handing over the envelope. "I just wanted to give you this letter instead of just a small note on your card. I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me since I got here."

"Thank you, Mike," Will said, smiling earnestly at Mike. "I'm happy to have you here with us. You're a great employee and an even better friend." 

"Thanks, Will," Mike said, blushing even deeper. "Please read that after I'm out of the office and maybe never mention it again."

Will chuckled. 

"Mike, you don't have to be embarrassed," Will said. "But, yes, I'll read it after you leave the room. And if you want me to, I don't have to say anything else about it."

"Thanks," Mike said. "And happy birthday again, Will."

"Thanks, Mike," Will said, grinning at Mike, who left the office.

Will opened the envelope and pulled out the letter Mike had written. He had heard Mike typing furiously the other day and figured this letter was what he had been writing, although this letter was handwritten, which felt more special to Will.

_Dear Will,_

_Hi! Happy Birthday! I hope you have a great day and a wonderful year!_

_As we celebrate you today, I just want you to know how grateful I am to you and your family. You guys gave me a chance when you really didn't have to and I'll be forever thankful for that. And you've become such a good friend to me in the short time I've worked here._

_I just wanted you to know on your birthday just how special you are to everyone who works here and to me. I'll be forever grateful to you for what you've done for me. Thank you for everything you've already done for me, Will._

_Happy Birthday!_

_Sincerely,_

_Mike_

Will found himself close to tears at the end of the letter. He hadn't received a handwritten letter from anyone in quite some time and Mike had clearly written from the heart. Will held the letter close to his chest as he teared up slightly. He glanced up at his calendar and made a mental note of Mike's birthday. 

* * *

Mike startled when he heard his doorbell ring. He frowned as he walked out of his living room and to the front door, wondering who would be visiting him. His landlord had stopped by earlier to wish Mike a happy birthday and they had chatted for a good half hour. Mike looked into the peephole and his eyes widened when he saw Will standing on his front porch, holding a small box.

Mike opened the door quickly and Will beamed at him.

"Will!" Mike exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"The girls are covering for me," Will replied. "Besides, I had to bring you a little something for your birthday. So, happy birthday!"

Mike let out a startled laugh.

"Will! You didn't have to do anything for my birthday!"

"Of course I did, Mike!" Will said, stepping into the doorway and into the kitchen, which was right off the front door. He set down the box on the counter and turned to Mike. "I didn't want you to spend your birthday all alone."

"Well, that was very thoughtful of you," Mike said. "Um, can I give you a hug, Will?"

"Of course you can, Mike," Will said.

Mike stepped forward and pulled Will into a hug. They held each other tightly for several moments before they broke apart. Both of them were blushing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make that awkward or anything," Mike said. 

"No, no, it's fine," Will said hurriedly. "We're friends aren't we?"

"Yeah of course," Mike said. 

"And I guess that hug was also my way of saying 'thank you' for that wonderful letter you wrote for me for my birthday," Will said. "I've never gotten a letter from that and it really touched me, Mike."

Mike looked away from Will, slightly embarrassed.

"I meant every word of it, Will," Mike said. "You and your family have been so incredible to me since I came to work for you guys. And you've been such a great friend. I don't have many of those anymore, not since I moved. So I just wanted you to know how special you are on your birthday, Will."

"Well I certainly appreciated it, Mike," Will said. "Now, enough of this chit chat. How about we have some cake and you can open your card and present!"

"Card? Present?" Mike asked, looking up. "You didn't have to get me anything!"

"I know, but I felt bad that you didn't get to spend time with everyone else on your birthday," Will said. "So I had everyone sign a card for you and Mom made you a little something for your birthday."

Mike blushed.

"Thanks, Will," he said.

"Here, I'll get us some cake," Will said. "Are the plates in there?" he asked, pointing up at the cabinet.

"Yep, right there."

Will busied himself with getting slices of cake for him and Mike. When the slices were ready, Mike gestured for Will to follow him into the living room. Will set the plates on the coffee table and he and Mike sat on the sofa, both of which Mike had purchased from the store. 

"Well, cheers to you, Mike," Will said. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, Will!" Mike said.

The two enjoyed the cake in a comfortable silence. When they were finished, they put the plates back on the coffee table while Will went to grab the card and gift. 

"All right, here's your card and present," said Will, handing them over to Mike.

"Thanks," Mike said, taking the card first. He opened it up and quickly read through all of the messages from his co-workers. He chuckled at the notes and glanced at Will when he read Will's note. "Tell everyone thank you for me, will you?"

"Yeah, of course, Mike," Will said. "Now, open your present!"

"All right, all right," Mike said, grinning at Will's enthusiasm. He ripped into the wrapping paper and pulled out a box. He opened the box and pulled out a green sweater. He looked it over, admiring it.

"Will, did your Mom knit this for me?" Mike asked.

Will nodded.

"Yeah, she loves knitting sweaters for people she considers family."

Mike looked up at Will, at a loss for words.

"You guys think of me as family?" Mike asked.

"Everyone who works for us is considered family," Will said. "Especially those who are as loyal as you are, Mike. Our family has always been crazy about loyalty and you've shown as much loyalty as anyone else who works for us."

"I don't know what to say," Mike said, sounding close to tears.

"You don't have to say anything, Mike. Just promise you'll let Mom see you wear that sweater a few times."

Mike chuckled.

"I promise," Mike said. "And thank your Mom for me when you go back to work. I'll be sure to tell her myself, too."

"Of course, Mike," Will said. "Happy Birthday, Mike." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait between chapters! I needed some time off before NaNoWriMo 2020 started and I've had about a weeklong break from the challenge. This chapter has been floating in my head ever since I left off with the previous chapter and today I felt the urge to write it.
> 
> I'm hoping to update this story pretty regularly now that I don't have NaNoWriMo to focus on (the story is coming soon!), so stay tuned for more soon!

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this story just kinda fell into my head as I was getting into bed last night. I know generally where the story is headed and suffice to say, this will be a slowburn Byeler story. As it stands right now, I don't see Mike and Will even getting together until the final chapter, and there will be lots in between this opening chapter and that ending.
> 
> I base the furniture store and its operations on the furniture store where I work, so some of my own experiences may find their way into the story, which will help make it fun to write.
> 
> More to come soon! Stay tuned!


End file.
